Rakuen, Where are You?
by Draechaeli
Summary: post series As Winter melts into Spring, One world bleeds into another wolves become wolves, flower becomes fieldof flowers, and a maiden becomes a maiden. But whaterver happened to Paradise? KibaCheza, HigeBlue possible TsumeToboe vote
1. Ichi

Disclaimer: I don't own Wolf's Rain or any of its characters.

Author's Note: **I know in the series that they made an illusion of a human, that's why their shadows where wolf shadows. But since at the end of the series Tsume was on a motorcycle and I refuse to believe they became human. In my fic it will be like a reverse cow walker (Human shamans transforming into animals; mostly wolves) so it be wolves transforming into humans so they can survive in today's world (and drive motorcycles).** The pairings are Kiba/Cheza, Hige/Blue, and well the Tsume/Toboe pairing I haven't decided yet review with your opinion please like brothers or lovers? But I'll only write Shounen-ai (Shounen-ai boys kissin' and cuddlin' Yaoi explicit sex scene (involving all guys)) actually Toboe and Tsume were always my favs so the fic will be a bit more centered on them. So yes on with the ficcy! Oh and a cool tid-bit my full first name in Japanese means Rakuen (Paradise)! Happy reading!

Na

Rakuen Where are You?

Chaputa-ichi

Toboe sighed, in his own little dream world again, as he walked home from his school. He had this dream that he could have sworn was real, where he was a wolf that had the ability to create a human illusion. He traveled with three other male wolves, occasionally a half-breed female, and a moon maiden. A crazy story right? Well he was a wolf and he still was living with Granny, perhaps it was the dream, but this time he decided to live human, because unlike his dream he could transform into a human, although he was only two (fourteen canine years) years old, Granny never seemed to notice though that he aged slightly different. Toboe had to do some school hopping though advancing in grades faster than you could imagine.

You would think with a life like that, that Toboe would just end up running into to woods and stay in his true form forever. Well many years ago wolves were poached till near extinction and now the remainder live in reserves. So it is either live as a wolf in a cage, or live a free human life with the occasionally wolfish run under the full moon.

So here Toboe was turning the busy city street that held his (and Granny's) fifth floor apartment. When the air seemed to heat up and the sounds of sirens broke through the din of Toboe's mind. The third window from the left on the fifth floor had bright orange flames spewing out. Black smoke filled the air.

Toboe paused, a look of horror on his face, "Granny," he whispered she must have fallen asleep with the stove on. Tears trickled down his face and he turned from the horrid scene and ran away down to streets to the slum part of town. Tripping on his own two feet he skidded to a halt in a muggy grey alleyway. Without thinking the reddish-brown wolf, well looked like a wolf.

His life was over plain and simple. The roar of a motorcycle came to a halt at the end of Toboe's alley; said wolf opened his tear filled eyes and looked at the motorcyclist, clad in black leather his face covered in a black helmet. He seemed to have just stopped to get his bearings. Toboe could smell that he was a wolf, but there was something about the scent something that made him dry his tears. The other wolf seemed to be thinking the same as Toboe because he removed his helmet and looked. Bright gold eyes of the white haired man met the golden brown eyes of the brown wolf. To Toboe it was like his dream that other life, it was Tsume! Or not, plain and simple just became hard and bizarre.

"Tsume?" asked Toboe changing back to his guise, his bangles clinking against each other.

"Toboe? Man all that dream shit was real wasn't it runt?" replied the man, Tsume Toboe could only nod, "hey, runt it looks like you were crying, why?"

"My house burnt down, with Granny inside," whimpered Toboe. He was jolted back, when a red motorcycle helmet hit him in the chest, he deafly grabbed it and stared up at Tsume.

"Fuck, I'm actually going to invite you along this time and all you do is stand there! Come on get your ass on the bike!" growled Tsume.

Toboe followed directions gripping Tsume's waist for dear life and they hadn't even started to move yet, "Where are we going Tsume?"

Tsume put his helmet on, started up his bike again and off they flew, over the howling wind Toboe could hear, "To my place, it's better than before, but I still lead a human gang, we jack electronics occasionally."

All Toboe could do was grip Tsume's waist tighter and nodded against his back. Eyes clenched shut; Toboe just wished the ride would be over. And it was with Tsume's driving nothing ever took long.

The bike rolled to an easy halt and Tsume removed his helmet chuckling at the death grip that Toboe had on him, "Come on runt we're here."

Toboe loosened a bit and looked up at Tsume fumbling with his own helmet. Toboe nimbly got off the bike, stumbling a bit to regain his land legs. Tsume just walked toward the big grey building they were parked in front of. Toboe followed behind him a minute later.

When Toboe stepped into the building all there really was, was a wall of mail boxes, an elevator and a set of stairs. Toboe looked around for a second until he saw that Tsume was going up the darkened stairwell.

Tsume disappeared into the second door on the right of the second floor leaving the door ajar for the pup to follow. When Toboe entered he looked at the plain small apartment the biggest room made up a small living room and a kitchen separated by a small counter space. In the living room was a ragged orange and brown plaid sofa that smelled musty and was shredded up in a few places. Across from the sofa was a small thirty centimeter (12") television that was placed on top of an old soap box. There seemed to be two other doors in the apartment one lay half open to a small bathroom that only had a sink, shower and toilet. Toboe assumed the other door was to the bedroom. The kitchen was bare a refrigerator, stove, plenty of counter space, and a small low card table sized wooden table surrounded by four cushions good for both human or wolf.

Claw came out of his bedroom and glanced at Howling, "I think all I have is meat, beef, lamb, and pig. I'm in the mood for beef you don't mind it raw right?" all the while he went into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator removing two large steaks. Moving towards the cupboard he removed two plates placing a steak on each. Tsume put the plates on the table sitting down as a wolf waiting for Toboe.

Toboe moved quietly toward the table the trim brown wolf took his seat across from the majestic grey. He bowed his head in thanks and waited for Tsume to start the meal. Soon both wolves were tearing into their meals.

Not long after the start of the meal, Toboe jerked away from the meal and rushed into the bathroom in his haste the door which he attempted to shut did not latch allowing Tsume to heart the awful retching noises coming from up from his emptying stomach. A light sheen of sweat covered Toboe's face as he spat up the couple bites he had gotten down before he got sick. The only thing her could think of was it must have been his body's lack of familiarity with cold raw beef. He knew he hadn't eaten like that since before he died for Quent Yaiden, back when he had pack. After many minutes of dry heaving Toboe flushed the toilet and washed his mouth out with water from the tap, he almost gagged again at the treated city water. Splashing cold water on his face and drying off Toboe exited the bathroom planning on not eating anymore for at least the night.

The tantalizing smell of cooked steak reached his nose. Toboe drooled as he walked back towards Tsume and there on his plate was his half eaten steak, cooked and next to it was a saucer of warm milk.

Toboe looked apprehensively at Tsume, before the grey spoke, "I figured that since you lived with humans… again, that your body wasn't used to raw meat, so I cooked it a bit should be warm all the way through but still red. I went across the hall and borrowed a cup of milk, said I ran out, and warmed it up to help your stomach. Now eat up."

"Thank you Tsume," replied Toboe as his eyeteeth bit into the warm juicy meat.

Tsume growled softly, "Shut up and eat pup!" he than got up and walked back towards his bedroom, for he had already eaten. Toboe quickly finished his steak and lapped at the milk, he was just finishing when Tsume returned.

Placing down the clothes he brought out for Toboe. A Human Toboe looks up at the wolf with a confused dazed expression. Tsume growls, "I own a club I can't have a kid in a school uniform in there, not to mention a ripped and bloody school uniform. Don't ask me where I got these clothes but they should fit you, they're what you were before."

Toboe looked down at the clothes and sure enough there was his red shirt, green pants, and his black army boots. He smiled, he had this same outfit at Granny's, and it was strange that Tsume had the outfit for him too. He remembered the good old days when clothing wasn't necessary when he thought of the coolest outfit he could and that's what his illusion wore all the time.

Standing up Toboe started to unbutton his blue school uniform top. Toboe winced slightly removing his right arm since the blood had dried sticking his uniform sleeve to his wound. The left arm proved worse as the scrap from his fall in the alley was much worse. Whimpering Toboe lightly tugged at the fabric. He was rather surprised when Tsume poured a small amount of warm water over the dried blood of Toboe's sleeve, so now instead of tugging on dried blood it was wetter and the pain decreased. But the second that the shirt was off Toboe cradled his wounded arm licking the wound clean. When he was satisfied he began to work on his pants wincing slightly at his skinned knees. All his scrapes had stopped bleeding so Toboe just dressed in his new clothes. Switching between forms a couple time to make sure the clothes held to his human form.

Tsume than pulled the pup out of the apartment and down to the street, and back onto his motorcycle. They sped off into the night Toboe clutching to Tsume for dear life. They soon stopped outside of a building that was blaring some rock music.

Both wolves got off the bike, but before going in Tsume stopped Toboe handing him a pair of ear plugs before putting in his own, "The music's too loud for our wolf ears this will tone done the noise." Toboe just nodded putting in his own ear plugs before following Tsume inside the club.

Toboe was assaulted with a thick crowd once they made it past the bouncer, in the fear that he'd loose Tsume he grabbed onto the man's leather shirt in his small fist. Tsume froze for a split second, before realizing that the contact was necessary. They moved through the crowd and over behind the bar, where Toboe let go of Tsume.

The bartender looked curiously at Toboe, as the boy looked around wide eyed in amazement at the humans dancing. Tsume addressed the bartender with authority, "The kid's with me, give him whatever he wants to drink, but I swear you give him a drop of alcohol without my okay and it's your neck!" Tsume finished with a menacing snarl as he walked into the back room.

Toboe nervously smiled at the bartender before he followed Tsume into the back, what he saw was a poorly lit room that had plenty of old beat up sofas and other odds and ends for sitting. There was about a dozen or so men, most of them with a cigarette in one hand and a drink that smelled strongly of alcohol in the other. Toboe coughed a few times in the suffocating air. Tsume resisted his own urge to cough, covering it with a growl as he moved to open the small basement like half windows that lined the back wall. A cool breeze blew in and caressed Toboe's greening face calming his stomach.

"The kid here is with me, you do anything to him and you die!" growled Tsume.

A few of the drunker members decided to crack jokes at their boss, "Does he have your stomach too Tsume? All meat all the time?" said one of the drunks laughing at his poor joke.

Another bolder man piped up. "With you, Tsume? Never knew you liked little boys." Tsume growled, seriously thinking on killing the man for such a comment. Toboe was confused he knew he was the pup of the pack either this human one or they're old one with Kiba as alpha, but Tsume was only about a year and a half older than him!

Author's Note: If you really have strong feelings about the whole Tsume and Toboe being lovers or friends I suggest you review and tell me because I have no qualms about having them get together the only reason I'm giving the reviewers a choice is 'cause I'm not quite sure if Shounen-ai will fit in the fic or not, yet if it's really wanted I can make it fit and visa-versa. All reviews are welcome I hoped you enjoyed the beginning next chap the rest of the characters will show up.

Na


	2. Ni

Disclaimer: I don't own Wolf's Rain or any of its characters.

Author's Note: So I hope you guys don't hate how Cheza turned out. Oh and if it was up to me (which it is :giggles manically: ) I would have Toboe and Tsume seriously making you doubt if they were wolves and not rabbits. But I'm being nice to the homophobics out there and giving you a choice. Oh and I can make the relationship work for the reviewer who thought it wouldn't fit, I can do it. Sorry for the long wait on the update and there is implied sex in this chapter. It is still up in the air for Toboe and Tsume's relationship. Happy reading!

Na

Rakuen Where are You?

Chaputa-ni

Two wolves were curled around each other earthy sienna contrasting with the stormy grey; they seemed to make a crude yin and yang symbol; old(er) and brash, against young(er) and innocent. The late afternoon sun filtered in through the window bathing the two lupines.

Toboe lay there awake it was the day of the full moon somewhere on the other side of the world she must have been showing her glory for his blood buzzed with anticipation. His paws twitched and his body hummed. That's why they were still in bed it would be a hard day to say in check or human. Tsume's human pets were told that they were not allowed to bother Tsume at all that day way before Toboe's time in the group.

It had been a couple weeks since Toboe first rode Tsume's motorcycle and he was getting along with the group just fine. Like all the other slightly under-aged participants their jobs weren't nearly as hard and Tsume watched Toboe like a mother her pups of an Alpha it's mate, it was all the same possessiveness, although Toboe wasn't sure that their was love in Tsume and his relationship; either form of fore mentioned love.

The brown wolf curled closer to the big grey issuing a small whimper he wanted to run. The grey growled a second not too happy with the pup curled up to him like so, but he knew that if there was no contact in sleep the pup would have nightmare of their past lives? Or whatever it was. In all honesty he had the dreams too the death of that boy when he fell from the pipes, the gun shot that killed Toboe and other horrid onslaughts. A wolfish body pressed close halted those dreams that both wolves had been suffering for years, although Tsume would never admit it.

To try and forget that it was a full moon or that Tsume had said he knew the best place to go and would take him there. Toboe focused on his memories, he found it odd that he had a hard time remembering the names of some people like that girl that was really nice to him the one who he revealed himself to. What was her name? Le... La… well it was L something! And than the man with the book and his bitch who followed Cheza and helped Blue. It was strange how Cheza, Granny and Wolf names never left him, but the others did. Perhaps he wasn't supposed to remember that fading world with nobles that wished to be descendents of wolves. Which was the very thing that set them apart from humans; that they had evolved from apes and not wolves.

Toboe lifted his head to look at Tsume splashed of gold and fiery pink accented the gray of his fur far more than Toboe's own. Tsume stirred he would have to quickly sear a steak for Toboe he still couldn't stomach completely raw meat, but rather enjoyed it with a cold center which was a vast improvement.

As the older wolf prepared the meal for Toboe the young pup bounded about the apartment with reckless abandon tongue lulling and tail wagging. After a couple of hard to sustain human moments and a couple low sharp barks Toboe was ripping into his meal paws still twitching.

"Why aren't you eating Tsume?" asked Toboe.

Tsume growled, "I'm going to hunt a rabbit for dinner, but you couldn't stomach the raw meat at this second so you get steak." With that Toboe finished in silence.

Two men exited their apartment and made it to the stairs with a fast steps. They looked energetic and nervous, perhaps even buzzed from drugs or lack there of. They were suspicious. The young one bouncing around like he ate a bag of sugar, the elder's hand twitched often and there was even sweat on his brow as they not so calmly exited the building and slipped into the awaiting shadows, a couple dogs barked and the sound of frantic paws scrapping on tar faded into the distance.

The lustrous beauty of the mistress of the night the lady Luna crested over distant mountains when a slightly panting gray wolf skidded to a halt at the edge of a moonlit field, a delicious scent of sweet hana no tsuki reached the wolves as they gazed upon the field specked with thousand of iridescent moon blossoms.

Beyond the field was a vast forest and Toboe could tell it was brimming with life, beyond that was or at least looked like the mountain, and beyond that tsuki.

Toboe glanced over the field and noticed a larger clump of glowing white flowers? As he concentrated on the figure the wind seemed to whisper, "Kiba…" a sudden movement from the side caught the pup's attention a side bush rustled and an ebony figure bolted out ice blue eyes that were soft and loving trained ahead, "Blue…" Moments later a stockier tan wolf gave chase and one last time as the wind swirled around, "Hige…" fell from its lips.

"Hn, seems no matter what we catch up with these guys" said Tsume.

Watching the display of Hige tackling Blue to the ground Toboe answered, "Yeah."

"Go on," urged Tsume, Toboe gazed up at the gray confused, "Go play. Why don't you test your hunting skills and pounce Kiba?" A comical grin spread over Toboe's muzzle as he bound down the slight hill racing towards their old Alpha.

The pup's paws slowed as he crouched low to the ground somewhat hidden in the semi-long grasses. Scuttling slowly and as silently as he could a meter or so closer to his "prey" Toboe failed to notice an ear twitch, but he did see the extremely large breathe the white took and automatically froze after a moment he believed that Kiba's breath want back to normal although it was no longer as shallow but slightly deeper that of feign sleep. Just as the brown pounced the white rolled away missing the assault as he looked towards the grass munching pup. Yellow eyes laughed at Toboe's gold.

"What are you doing here alone Toboe?" asked Kiba.

Toboe sat on the ground with a huff, "I'm not that young I can go where I want!"

"Yes well you smell thickly of human so I knew you started your life like that once more, and you reek of Tsume so I know you've been with him how long I can't tell you're so clingy, perhaps two weeks with him. I know Tsume and he wouldn't leave an untrained wolf alone especially you," replied Kiba.

Toboe looked around frantically, where was Tsume? But than he remembered that his friend needed to hunt dinner and probably in the woods, "Tsume's hunting right now I believe. So if I don't smell like me how did you know?"

Kiba chuckled, "At first I was confused when I smelled human and Tsume, I though a human was here and Tsume was nearby. Than I realized that the human scent was rather old and Tsume's new but not new enough. You always have smelled like that, humans and Tsume it's in your skin the more time you spend with us the more your natural scent will spill out."

A strangled yelp sounded from over a small him Toboe turned toward the noise, "What was that?"

"Don't look over there pup, you don't need to see that," replied Kiba lying back down in the grass.

"I'm not a pup!" pouted Toboe.

Kiba laughed again, "Out of all of us you are the pup of the pack… well you might not be soon."

"I hope not," said Tsume as he came and sat by Toboe licking the last bit of blood from his muzzle, "whelps of porky would seriously give a migraine."

The three wolves talked all through tsuki's travel through the heavens, it wasn't until the early morning light that the stocky yet sated tan wolf and ebony female came to join them. Toboe first noticed the bloodied bite mark on Blue's neck he was about to ask her of it when he noticed the musky smell that was emitted from both the new comers, vaguely remembering school lesson (all of which applied to humans and not wolves), besides the things he learned from the streets the young wolf put it all together. They had sex.

"Nice to see everyone again," said Blue as she lay down a bit behind Toboe as if to protect the boy.

"Imagine we'd all meet in a hana no tsuki field," laughed Hige.

Everyone was silent for a moment when Toboe spoke up, "Kiba, why are we here?"

"What do you mean runt?" asked Hige.

Toboe growled a bit, "I mean we all died right? Are we in Rakuen or not?"

"No, no we aren't," replied a stoic white alpha.

"But Toboe has a point; this world isn't dying… yet. And I mean we can actually change into humans now! Where exactly are we?" added Tsume.

"Well there is perks to actually human form," said Hige with a laugh. Nudging Blue they both turned into human form, Hige slipped an arm around Blue and pulled her into his lap, before he dipped her slightly and began to kiss her. The two cloudy wolves brushed it off in the beginning, while Toboe turned away his face bright red. As the make out session went on the older wolves grew frustrated and Toboe seemed to get over his initial embarrassment for them.

It wasn't till Hige's free arm began to snake its way up Blue's shirt that Tsume growled, "O-ke- we get your point! Now stop Toboe doesn't need to see the (not so) finer points of mating, and I just don't want to!"

Hige let go of Blue gently as she slipped to the grass, Hige's cheeks became a bit rosy and his right hand rubbed the back of his head as he gave a nervous chuckle.

"So have we decided what happened?" asked Blue fiddling with some grass.

Kiba stood and faced the sunrise, the wind ideally played with his brown hair the pale pinks and yellows playing of his ivory skin and shirt. A few hana no tsuki danced and brushed his jeans. He was a shaded silhouette against the raising sun. The group stared at his back all seemingly composed to change into a humanoid form or stay in it. The picture was godly and when his voice broke the still it spoke wise riddles, "As winter melts into spring, one world bleeds into another, wolves become wolves, a flower becomes a field of flowers, and a maiden becomes a maiden. As the season's progress we learn new survival techniques to aid us in our plait, for where we truly belong we would not need human 'guises."

"So this field is Cheza?" asked Toboe after a pregnant silence.

Kiba turned and smiled slightly, "No I found her in a hospital, and I'll bring you guys to her." He turned slightly and began to walk towards the city. The remaining four followed.

Kiba navigated through the hospital with ease, one lady stopped the group she was dressed in pink scrubs, "Oh Kiba! I'm so glad you're here! Cheza can go home now; we were hoping you'd be by today. Just stop by at the nurse's desk before you leave." Kiba just nodded at the nurse and continued down the hall.

As they approached their destination the smell of hana no tsuki became stronger. Kiba didn't even think about it he just walked through a door and the rest followed.

The room was dimly lit and in the center of the white room. Sitting on the bed was a pale pink haired girl already dressed in her pale shorts jumper. Red eyes turned to the group as long legs stopped swinging, "Everyone! This one is glad to see all of you."

"Hi Cheza," seemed to drift across the group.

Blue turned to Kiba, "Kiba what happened why is she here?"

"Like always I follow the hana no tsuki and I followed them here to find Cheza asleep. After much arguing with the doctor I convinced them that we belong to the small village beyond the hana no tsuki field that live rather primitive, they do not have last names and don't have hospital or illegible government records. I was told that Cheza stumbled into a near by river and passed out, some kids saved her. The doctor said that she was dehydrated and starving. Once Cheza woke up she explained to me how she didn't know why the sun and water would no longer replenish her. When we came here Cheza lost her flower part and didn't know it and therefore never ate or drank like a human," answered Kiba.

"She smells and looks the same you sure?" huffed Tsume.

"Yeah," glumly replied Kiba, "I think before she was more flower than maiden and now it is the opposite."

So how did she survive thirteen years without food and water?" asked Hige.

Kiba looked at him briefly, "Cheza and I… well Cheza says she has only been in this world for a little over a month. I think all our memories of this world are fake and loosely based on how we lived before."

"How?" asked Toboe starring at Kiba with big confused puppy dog eyes.

Kiba just shook his head, "I'm not quite sure actually. I was thinking perhaps this is like that world I went to with that weird plant, but I do not know."

"So this one goes to Rakuen with you once more?" added Cheza after a pregnant pause. It really wasn't a question in the end but they all nodded just the same.

Author's Note: If you really have strong feelings about the whole Tsume and Toboe being lovers or friends I suggest you review and tell me because I have no qualms about having them get together the only reason I'm giving the reviewers a choice is 'cause I'm not quite sure if Shounen-ai will fit in the fic or not, yet if it's really wanted I can make it fit and visa-versa. All reviews are welcome. Next Chapter: The search for Rakuen begins

Na


	3. san

Disclaimer: I don't own Wolf's Rain or any of its characters.

Author's Note: I am truly sorry for the long wait. I will make no excuses. Happy reading!

Na

Rakuen Where are You?

Chaputa-san

Preparations were made for their new journey Toboe had insisted that Tsume settle things with his club and gang. Tsume only agreed it seemed so Toboe could get used to eating raw meat. Kiba requested some time to prepare Cheza for human life, as much as was possible. Blue and Hige were about to leave the hospital with a sly look on their faces, but the stormy colored wolves made it quite clear that there were to be no new born pups on the trip.

On the night of the waning moon in a field of tsuki no hana there was a sight never seen before at least for this particular time of the month. Five free and proud wolves stood at the edge of a massive forest, with them stood an albino maiden. They were praying for some form of luck this time 'round, for Rakuen.

"Well at least we won't be hunted this time around, it is illegal," said Hige. He was right there was neither dying world, nor wolf hunters in this world and here they were about to go search for something new and better. But these wolves were far from having an easy trip, there were things beyond the trees that needed to be seen and learned.

Kiba lifted up the pack, of needed things for the now human Cheza, in his teeth and motioned for the pail girl to take it. Slender fingers curled around the fabric and slowly took the backpack. After a few seconds she situated the backpack on her back, with a bright smile, "This one is ready now."

The underbrush was crushed under foot and paw, as branches parted for the pack. And that was the beginning of what was yet to be proved to be a successful journey to paradise.

With high spirits the group traveled in relative silence for the evening. As dawn approached Kiba called that they would sleep the day in a natural den made of thick brush. Cheza settled down on the ground reclining against Kiba, while not far away Tsume found some more thick brush to sleep under. And of course at his side was Toboe who had gotten used to the body heat of the elder wolf during the more recent nights.

Hige stood between the split group and said, "I'll go hunt some rabbits."

"No," came the curt reply of Tsume.

The tan wolf smirked, "And what the great Tsume will hunt our meal?"

"No," growled Tsume, "Toboe will."

"You can't be serious! He is just a pup!" exclaimed the ever hungry ookami.

Yellow eyes bore into Hige, "Tsume is correct, Hige. Toboe needs to learn the finer points of our life and that includes fending for oneself. The pup will hunt."

"Oh I see- And I'm figuring that Tsume will teach him, since he is Tsume's pup. Tell us Tsume are you teaching a pup, or are you looking out for a lover? Or maybe you wish to harbor the pup into a worthy lover? Which is it, Tsume?" asked the agitated Hige.

Claw chose not to answer the incessant Whiskers' question, but at that moment Howling settled the dispute himself. With a large yawn, Toboe's eyes drooped staying closed for a few seconds too long, and when they reopened the effort was visable. With a smirk of triumph Hige went bounding off following his superior nose.

Blue shook her head having opted to stay out of the dispute although she knew her mate was in the wrong. Regardless of Tsume's feelings for the young wolf, Toboe need to be a wolf and not a sheep, rethinking her logic she decided even after he learned to hunt successfully he would be a wolf in sheep's clothing for the pup would still be his loving self even after he could break the neck of a fluffy rabbit. Moving over toward the reclining Cheza; who had recently retrieved an apple fro her bag for her own meal, the midnight wolf also settled down.

Tsume watched the young wolf, as he tried to keep standing as if to wane off the sleep before Hige returned with dinner. Tsume sighed, "We'll be getting up extra early tomorrow, so that you may hunt our breakfast."

There was no answer, it was understood that there was no choice in the matter. The remaining five waited for to Toboe at least seemed like an eternity for his over worked body. Hige finally broke the brush a human, finding that it was easier to carry five rabbits by their ears in two hands than all five in his maul.

Hige tossed the two rabbits in his right hand at Tsume and Toboe, while the last three were thrown near Kiba and Blue. Seconds later the five wolves sunk their canines into the succulent meat. Toboe hacked a bit as a hunk of rabbit fur slid down his throat, rut after the sickening moment he was able to get to the meat with in. After the rather small meal the ookami relaxed and lay down to sleep. Cheza curled up to Kiba and blocked from outside eyes by the mates. Across the way was a sleeping Toboe, subconsciously nuzzling the irate Tsume.

Chubby's words rang in the scared wolf's head, but the warmth of the young pup seeped to his heart. And no matter what Hige said or says, no matter which angle you looked at the situation, Toboe was Tsume's. No one would question this fact, because even _before_ Toboe was only truly loyal to the scared grey. Howling was Tsume's to do as he pleases; son, brother, friend, mate no matter what the grey decided, Toboe would lovingly follow. The only question was what did Claw want?

A few hours before dusk the majestic grey nudged the sleeping pup awake. Droopy honey eyes met gold and the young pup whined. But he made no further comment as he stumbled to his feet and followed the elder wolf to a near by field.

"Tsume what are we doing? It is not even dusk yet," asked Howling.

The elder wolf gazed over the field of long grass before turning to reply to the growing pup, "You will need to learn to hunt first. As you are now the prey would hear you coming."

"Yes, but it is too early there is nothing to hunt," retorted Toboe.

Claw smirked, "You will hunt field mice."

Toboe was stunned, and quickly his honey colored eye turned to watch the field silently. It took but a moment to notice the blades of grass twitching. Tsume had been correct there were field mice and from the low growling of the two predators the prey was in frenzy.

Crouching low to the ground the red wolf gave his own smirk believing that the task he was given was far too simple. Eyeing the closest moving blade the young wolf's muscles tensed and he pounced- on grass.

A low growling chuckle sounded behind Toboe, and said pup turned to see Tsume reclining just outside of the field, "Quiet and swift pup."

Howling let a low angry growl fill the field; there were some frantic movements that filled the field. Over the grass a lone early raising rabbit froze hoping to not be spotted. "I am not a pup!" growled the red wolf.

Seemingly disinterested Claw replied, "Prove it."

The red wolf tried. Tsume watching him through half lidded eyes; he watched the slow progress and was pleased to see that with each failed attempt the young wolf was becoming harder to see. Toboe was swifter, and the grasses barley twitched as he crawled on his belly, slowly stalking his prey. It was only a matter of moments before he would catch a mouse. It was already a good hour of dusk by that did not matter, this was to help Toboe.

Losing sight of the pup, the grey closed his golden eyes relishing in the cool evening air and the lush smell that could only be described as life. Why were they here? Looking for paradise? All Claw knew was that he needed some sort of completion. To find his place in this new world, to help Toboe find his, to help everyone. Cheza now human, Hige and Blue and if he couldn't help it their soon to be pups, Kiba with no place his dreams perhaps shattered, Toboe to become the wolf he is, and himself to find where he belongs not in the human cities, but also not in a pack.

A dull sound of a stick scraping against a rock under the weight of a conscious paw, made the grey's ear twitch slightly, Toboe was sneaking up on him. Tsume remained calm and unmoving wondering wheat the other ookami would do. He had expected attack, but not the small mass to drop on his back and attempt to scramble away. Tsume opened his eyes when he heard a small squeak after he felt a red paw fall on top of the mass on his back. Golden eyes were met with smiling yellow-brown orbs.

"So you got your mouse," Tsume replied lazily, "good job, now let it go it can hardly feed five grown wolves." Toboe did as he was told dawning a large wolfish grin, His elder just included him within the 'grown wolves' and he could not be happier.

There was a quiet snapping of twigs as both wolves' heads snapped up and turned towards the far end of the field. There coming out of the under brush and pausing in the field was a stag and three doe. Golden eyes met honey in a silent agreement. Both wolves swiftly stood and quietly made it towards the deer. Tsume circled around to help prevent the deer from escaping as Toboe slowly stalked closer for the kill.

A sudden crash drew everyone's attention to where the deer had emerged from. A slightly younger stag stumbled out of the forest bring with it the smell of hot blood. The stag stumbled to stand with his broken and bleeding front leg. Toboe's nose wrinkled at the tantalizing smell and he let out a growl that froze all five of the deer. After a pregnant pause the young wolf swiftly moved towards the frozen and injured stag. The other four bolted and Tsume let them go. This was Howling's kill, the injured deer was just right for the young wolf.

In a brash leap that seemed to be all teeth the young wolf was splattered with blood the farther his teeth sunk into the stag's soft throat. Hot blood seeped down his throat to pull in Toboe's stomach. With the blood came a feeling that Toboe had done something right, that for once his instincts did not disagree with him. Sure he had killed the Walrus _before _but that was in self defense for survival, sure this was for survival as well but a different kind.

Tsume was very proud of the young wolf. The only thing was what were they going to do now? Even for the short trip back to the others Tsume was worried about leaving Toboe alone. Whether it is by the blood corpse, or returning to the others blood covered. The grey wolf sighed and trotted over towards Toboe in the still twilight.

"Come let's drag it back to the others to eat," said Tsume picking up the closest leg in his maul, and tugging it across the field. Toboe was silent but followed suit. The two ookami slowly brought the meal to their pack; the only evidence of this was the red grass that moved towards the forest's edge.

"I was just about to go and hunt our meal, but now you are here… Tsume it is so nice of you to hunt for everyone for once," sneered Hige, when the two wolves entered the clearing dragging the stag.

The hunters dropped their meal. Tsume glared at the brown wolf than turned to look upon Howling, "Toboe since this is your kill, made with no help of the pack. You may decide who gets to eat, this one time. Since you were shown such disrespect; as an active and important member of this pack."

Toboe looked around and if he had cheeks he would have blushed. Everyone was giving him encouraging smiles, all except Hige who was a bit slack-jawed. With a big wolfish grin, the young pup- wolf growled, "Let us all eat."

Author's Note: All reviews are welcome. I hope that I do not have a long wait on the next chapter.

Na


	4. Shi

Disclaimer: I don't own Wolf's Rain or any of its characters.

Warning: Three separate couples make out in this chapter, which includes het, cross-breeding, and shounen-ai. Also depending on your point of view implied twincest.

Author's Note: I am truly sorry for the long wait. I had the idea for this story and originally was not going to write it. But it was all I could think about so I changed my mind. Now I realize that what Ii had planned to happen wont take that long so I am just going to finish it up before I write for anything else there is about three chapters left and they should be about as long as this one. Happy reading!

Na

Rakuen Where are You?

Chaputa-shi

Reddish fur bristled, and amber eyes lowered in frustration. The young wolf had been unable to make a kill for a week and a week ago was his first kill. Tsume had tried to reassure him that it was fine, and he was making progress, Blue would say the same. Hige would laugh at him, and than go make quick work of hunting supper. Cheza just smiled, Toboe was sure she didn't understand, and Kiba did nothing.

"Perhaps, we should hunt as a pack. I mean we all know that our instincts tell us to live like that," said Tsume, once he swallowed the last of the meat that Hige had procured.

Hige growled as Kiba rejected the idea, "What about Cheza? That's why we fight our instincts, because we have Cheza to worry about, and before that there was Toboe."

"I never needed protection," grumbled the young wolf, stretching his bounds to curl up near the stormy wolf.

The tan wolf huffed, and his mate glared before she turned to the youngest and oldest wolves, "I think it is a wonderful idea."

"When we stop at dawn, we'll all hunt," Kiba stated, and everyone grew quiet and began to prepare to go to sleep. And as per the usual, three wolves curled around the only human among them, and offset from the rest of the group were the polar opposites; sky and earth, oldest and youngest, innocent and seasoned. And yet this is how the group enjoyed being.

As the sun made its slow sweep through the heavens tired golden-brown eyes refused to close. Nuzzling his muzzle deeper into the grey fur beside him he tried to block out the dancing sun shadows, as the wind blew the trees.

"Toboe you need to sleep, we will be traveling in a few hours," whispered the commanding voice of the scarred ookami.

"Tsume, I…" the reddish wolf hesitated.

The elder sighed, "Don't listen to Chubby, he is a bastard. You are doing great, for living all this life as a human. I mean you don't lag behind, your stealth, and speed have increased. You just can't expect to be the best at everything after only a week."

"I don't think I have ever heard you speak so much, Tsume," the elder huffed at the comment, "no I am serious Tsume. You have changed a lot since we found each other again, and I think… I think it is a good thing."

"Don't think to much on it kid," replied Tsume, "do you think we could go to sleep now? Besides I think I might have a way to help you improve while we go at a human pace for Cheza."

The dusty wolf nodded and curled farther into his mentor before whispering, "Arigatou Tsume, it really means a lot to me." Blissful sleep then claimed the two ookami, until the sun's rays began to deplete from the world.

Once everyone was roused, it was re-decided by Kiba that Blue would stay with Cheza and the girls would prepare a fire, since Cheza was running out of food and so it was decided they would cook some of their meat for their human friend.

Four wolves stalked into the dense forest underbrush in search of their meal for the evening. Snow and sand led the way followed by rain clouds and red dust colored wolves. Silently they moved until the alpha and the wolf by his side froze, up ahead in a small clearing was a doe grazing.

The first two wolves went toward the left, and the other two toward the right. After crawling around the edge of the tree line Tsume paused, turned and stared almost glared at the younger wolf. It was a look the plainly stated the Toboe should stay right where he was and attack when he saw the older grey attack and only then.

Golden-brown eyes watched as his mentor stalked further around the clearing. But his attention was drawn back to the doe, when he heard a snarling growl. Looking diagonally across the clearing white fur was pulled back to show the off white teeth, and the yellow eyes burned with impending death, as the wolf stalked towards the frightened deer.

The doe's head franticly moved from side to side searching for anymore hidden danger, and at that moment across from young Toboe entered an equally menacing figure of Hige. At the sight of the second wolf the doe turned to run in the opposite direction. Of which a snarling golden eyed mentor stood.

Watching the unfolding scene Toboe was confused- it was his first group hunt. He felt he should be frightened of his friends as the doe was. But there was an adrenaline spike in his body, hot blood racing through his system. Without a thought the second after Tsume entered the clearing, reddish lips curled back in a very intimidating growl (for one such as Toboe).

The doe stood frozen, her heart speeding at an insane rate, and Toboe could hear it, feel it and taste it. Even though there were gaping holes in the offence of the wolves, for there were only four of them, the doe had already lost in her extra few seconds to hesitation.

White flew at the doe's neck and she reared onto her hind legs, turning body to the left nearly escaping the maul of the alpha, but right into the jaws of Hige. Blood flew as the teeth sunk into her flesh. But her body's momentum, made her nearly dead self fall limply although kicking atop the one who drew first blood.

From the mangle and tangle of predator and prey, surrounded by three snarling wolves came two noises; the stilling of a heart and a yelp. The second noise told the others that Hige was in such pain that he had had to let go her throat.

Before the doe could comprehend that she was in a way let free, Kiba latched on to her neck the other to at her weekly protesting legs as they hauled their meal off their friend.

And than as abruptly as the rush had began to pound in the blood and ears of the young wolf it fled, with the halting of her beating heart. Glossy eyes had shown the last burst of fear behind the sheen of cold death.

Hige limped onto all fours and yelped favoring his left front paw. The three others grabbed legs in their mauls and began to haul the meal back to Cheza and Blue. Meeting the girls and a fire that was lit with waterproof matches Kiba was sure to pack. They began to cut the meat out to cook for Cheza, before Kiba took his fill, followed by Tsume, Hige and Blue, and then Toboe.

With a clean carcass, Kiba and Tsume began digging up dirt, flinging it upon the fire in preparation of moving on in their journey. Said preparations were halted by a howling yelp of Hige who stood in human form cradling his right wrist to his chest.

Once his whimpering ceased and he was met with questioning glances he sighed, "I can't walk on this paw since I sprained it. And so I thought, you know, humans walk on two legs so I could give my paw a rest if I walked as a human. What I didn't think of was the pain of sprained bones shifting from ookami to ningen."

There was silence, what could anyone say? This was easily the stupidest idea that Hige had ever come up with and yet it made sense in some weird sort of way. He as a wolf figured a way to get off his hurt paw, albeit he now was essentially a human. He wasn't going to slow them down, since initially Cheza did that.

So silence was the answer, and everyone continued to prepare. Blue checked Hige's wrist to be sure that it was truly only a sprain. Everyone seemed to pause when Tsume himself changed to human form right before Cheza put her pack on so they could leave.

"Cheza do you mind if I have your pack?" asked the stormy wolf.

An equally dangerous weather wolf growled, "And what do you want it for?"

Motioning for the youngest to change his form Tsume calmly stated, "I only wish for Toboe to carry it."

Kiba thought a moment than nodded and Cheza smiled, "This one would be delighted for Toboe to take the pack." Confused amber eyes took the pack that was held towards him, but Claw removed the pack from his grasp and adjusted the straps so they were the longest they could be.

Taking the pack from his mentor Howling put it on to see that it hung loosely off his shoulders. Once more at his summonses Toboe changed his form along with the grey wolf, making the loose straps fit comfortable against his new form. The others decided they would travel with their respected mates in a more bipedal form the band of six was off.

They easily fell into either silence or a conversation with the person traveling next to them. Kiba led the way through the forest his hand slipped into Cheza's in an easy and comfortable silence. Tsume had forced Toboe to keep pace with him behind their pack leader, and farther back was the midnight wolf and her sandy partner.

Amber eyes flicked from the path they were traveling and the ookami beside him, after a hesitant moment he spoke, "Tsume, why am I wearing this pack?"

"It is a human idea I must admit, but it will help you become stronger and faster," replied the grey wolf.

"How?"

"If you get used to the extra weight, when the pack is removed it will be easier for you to move. So for each day that you can keep pace with me the next day I'll put a rock in the pack to make it heavier. O-ke?"

The young Howling nodded and than adverted his eyes while mumbling, "Tsume can I ask you something, that confused me earlier in the day?" the elder of the two huffed, "I mean you won't laugh or call me stupid like Hige, no matter what, right?"

Gold eyes looked at the reddish wolf, and scuffed, "Kid when do I laugh?"

"You're right. So when we were hunting why weren't you in Hige's place? Aren't you second in command?"

Tsume thought for a moment, before deciding how to answer, "Yes I am the beta ookami in our rag-tag pack, and you are also correct I would normally have a more leading position in a hunt. But you are mine, and therefore I needed to help lead you on your first group hunt."

Slowly the dusty wolf processed this information, remembering some things he learned in school, "So if Kiba is alpha, and you're beta than I am epsilon? Since Hige is gamma and Blue I am figuring is delta."

Claw sighed, "Not exactly, you see Kiba is the pack leader the alpha male and anyone could challenge him for that position but we all know I am the only one that has a chance of killing him so I fall as the beta. And if you wish to label us as such than Hige is gamma, but Blue is the gamma male's mate, so than you are delta."

"But _before _we weren't so regimented, why now?"

"_Before_, the nearing end of the world caused our instinct to live, to over ride all our other instincts of pack hierarchy."

"I'm the pup though, right? So shouldn't I be eating first or after Kiba since I need more food?"

Shaking his head Tsume smirked, "Remember you didn't want to be considered a pup, you killed that deer a week ago confirming your spot. Perhaps if I explain the hierarchy better you'll understand. Males fall into this system, and female's do only when mated or they kill a mated female. Cheza for example is the alpha female, just as Blue is the gamma female. Now you, you are a special case as a pup you would follow your parents but you don't have any. So I took you as mine. So while you are the delta male, you are also something not exactly but akin to beta mate."

The reddish-brown head nodded, "But how am I yours exactly?"

Gold eyes stared off in the distance as the ookami thought on this question. How was Toboe his, exactly? Well now he knew that it could not be a father-son relationship since Howling as a recognized male would no longer be his. It would seem that the sibling relationship was also scratched. Tsume new he was a role model, a mentor but he was also more; was he in love with Toboe as a mate or friend? And that question he could not answer at this time, all he was sure of was that Toboe was and will always be his, "I cannot explain it any other way than that you are mine."

"That is fine, I don't mind. But you are not mine unless we are mates, right?" answered Toboe uncertainly, the elder nodded his head, Howling mumbled one final comment to the subject not expecting Claw to hear, "I wouldn't mind being mated."

With that they fell into a silence not uncomfortable, but there was still tension and unanswered questions in the air. The grey wolf tried to discern the last comment said. He was sure that Toboe did not completely understand the concept of mates or at least male mates. But neither was the young wolf looking for an easy way of climbing the ladder.

As the night progressed they began to scale an ever increasing incline, and near dawn they happened by a set of livestock put out to pasture. This time Hige stayed behind with Cheza, as the other four crawled under or climbed over the electric wire that caged in the sheep, and goats. It was a free for all, but still a challenge. Toboe came out very happily with his own full grown healthy sheep.

Proud of his meal the reddish-brown wolf dragged his kill to a small outcropping of rocks that the ookami had decided to use as shelter from irate farmers. Hige who was weary about transforming back to his wolf form had bit more trouble tearing into the meat than usual. Although the sharpness of his teeth did not deteriorate, his I-teeth were no longer elongated and of course he had no claws and only the use of three paws.

With Hige in a foul mood, it meant simply one thing he would make more jokes and complain about his hunger. One thing in particular that bothered him was a very happy and proud young wolf that seemed to put everyone in a good, except Hige who scuffed, "So what runt, you caught the runt of their pack. Not like it was a hard kill."

Toboe frowned and lowered his head losing the appetite he had had for the second half of his lamb. He immediately walked around so that Tsume separated him from the rest of the group and curled into the grey fur.

Gold eyes glared at the tan wolf, he knew how hard Howling had worked for his meal. Once he had his own sheep, he had watched the brown wolf. Toboe had ignored the sickly lamb, which lay in one corner about the size of the one he had killed. He had also had a few chances for a larger kill, but Toboe's eyes weren't bigger than his stomach so he took a proportionally correct meal. He had every reason to be proud.

When the sun began to set again and the pack of six rose from their slumber, Tsume placed a few rocks into the pack on the young wolf's back. Going once more to the pastor for their meal, Toboe stated he was not hungry and wished to spend time with Cheza, while Hige brooded. At these observations even Fang glared at the tan wolf.

The next few days seemed to go as such, although the brown wolf no longer skipped a meal. Once most of the pain was gone in his right wrist Hige decided that the bone should heal in the form that it was injured. With a painful although silent transformation the pack continued to walk down the small mountain riddled with livestock.

It was at this moment when everyone seemed to be thankful for the livestock they had feasted on that they heard voices. Kiba immediately slinked off to hide Cheza behind some thick brambles.

"There have been numerous farmers saying that wolves have been getting at their livestock," said the first voice.

Another snorted, "So that is why we are here."

There was the sudden rumble of a machine from what they could tell a 4-wheeler, before a third voice sounded, "Yep, we get to chase them, catch them, and tag them."

Four men on two 4-wheelers came into sight and the for remaining wolves turned to bound down the mountain.

"Take off the pack Toboe! It is slowing you down!" growled the grey wolf.

Whimpering Toboe replied, "I can't without stopping"! At those words a tranquilizer dart hit a tree trunk only a hair above his shoulder, Howling almost froze.

"Damn it Runt than don't run in a straight line zigzag" growled Hige!

The wolves sped through the forest and down the mountain side. They tried their best to be sporadic, purposefully bound over fallen logs and going under the thick underbrush that was easy passage for wolf and not man. Keeping close together but not too close and never on the barley beaten path.

Slowly the decline ceased and the trees thinned opening up into a desert. Dashing into the open they knew that the dessert was no place for wolves but they had braved it once before and they would do it again. About six meters from the forest's edge was a cluster of rocks which they all dove behind.

Panting Tsume changed to his human form the perfect disguise, not long after that the other three joined him. The youngest was having a hard time catching his breath with the bipedal lung makeup, he coughed a few times and quickly the eldest gathered him in his lap and against his chest to quell the noise.

They could tell that the men had hit sand and now they turned off their machines to look around the dessert. After long agonizing moments two more sets of footprints exited the forest, the distinct smell of hana no tsuki marked the new comers as Kiba and Cheza.

"Hey kid!" said one of the men.

Kiba scuffed, "Are you talking to me?"

"What are you kids doing out here there is not a town anywhere near here," said another of the pursuers.

"This one is watching stars with friends," answered Cheza.

There was a pause, where the hunters were gauging the answer they received. Kiba decided to clarify, "See my girlfriend had to go to the bathroom, so I went with her to make sure she got in and out of the woods all right. We came here to stargaze with friends, they are just behind those rocks. Hey, Hige, Blue, Tsume, Toboe stop looking at the sky, I don't want to be interrogated by these men myself."

Not being able to persuade Toboe to move out from behind the rock, the tan wolf walked out holding the hand of his mate. Blue smiled as they walked closer to the men and their alpha, "Toboe fell asleep on Tsume, but the later will tolerate you if you do not yell."

"He'll tolerate us?" said the first man who had spoken, a dark haired man.

Hige chuckled, "Tsume doesn't talk much, and if you threaten Toboe he'll rip your throat out, even if it is only the kid's sleep that is threatened."

"Well yes," spoke up the fourth member a female, "than why don't we all discuss quietly what you are doing here." Everyone walked around to the other side of the large rock pile, to be met with the sight of Tsume and Toboe. The former in his leather outfit sitting in the sand and with the slighter form curled in his lap. The brown mop of hair was buried in the crook of the silver haired man's neck. Claw's right arm came up to stroke the reddish hair and further obscure the face of the wide awake Howling.

The black haired man, seemingly the boss began, "So tell us who you are, and what you are doing here."

"I'm Hige and this is my ma- my girlfriend Blue," Hige began, "you already met Kiba and his girl Cheza, the man clad in leather is the ever stoic Tsume and… ano…"

"His boyfriend," supplied Blue quickly added with a slight blush and a glare from cold gold eyes.

The light brunette nodded, "Yes, his boyfriend the shy little Toboe."

"Last names?" questioned one of the two identical blonds.

From the collection of a look of utter confusion the other half of the twin groaned, "They're from that village where the people don't have last names, or birth records. And aren't they all outdoors types that go on those extreme camping trips without food for weeks. I mean look they do only have one backpack."

The female looked closely to the couple curled up on the ground, "But do they condone pedophilia? You look ten years older than him."

Tsume growled and forgot himself for a moment, "I am not even four yet!" That was when he found himself and cursed silently. He was waiting for the pain and it was becoming increasingly harder for Toboe 'to stay asleep'.

One of the blonds was now ecstatic, "You're a leap year baby, so you are turning four in February, but you don't look almost sixteen."

There was a long pause before Kiba answered in a white lie, "Blue is the oldest actually she is 21, Hige is eighteen, I am seventeen, and Cheza and Toboe are fourteen." At the sound of his name the youngest perked up a bit, before realizing his mistake. This seemed to make all the wolves shift uncomfortably, their first mistake trying to talk their way out of this confrontation, and their mistakes just kept getting them in deeper.

To the hunters it seemed that Tsume was trying to sooth the boy in his lap back to sleep with shushing noises, really the elder wolf was whispering in the younger's ear, "You'll have to 'wake up' now, don't forget you are really shy."

The brunette nodded, making it look like he was burying into the heat more before he slowly pulled away and smiled at the grey haired wolf. Looking around he found the eyes of strangers looking at him intently. Jumping a little Toboe blushed and looked down and once he 'realized' he was on his 'boyfriends' lap in front of strangers he blushed more and buried his head back into the crook of Tsume's neck.

Just barely above a whisper they heard Toboe mutter, "Who are they Tsume?"

Said wolf glared at each of the four hunters while clenching the hand that was not wrapped around the young wolf in the sand. A growl rose, "Some sort of police I assume, they think we are suspicious."

Toboe giggled slightly, he found the stormy wolf's tense body funny, especially when he could feel the muscles tensing. Whispering again, "Do they think you're a pedophile?" the elder only nodded, making Toboe pull away a bit and smile, "I told you that you should dye your hair if you wanted people to stop saying that. But than again I like your stormy colored hair." And that was true Toboe liked Tsume's fur it was soft, warm and was uniquely Tsume.

"Something is wrong here, you kids are weird," stated the dark haired boss.

The sandy wolf growled and hit his head with the palm of his hand, "Are you guys stupid? Isn't it obvious that Blue and I are the only ones who like to speak? I mean Cheza has her speech thing, the runt over there is extremely shy, and Kiba and Tsume just like not talking unless with their respected partners. Would it make you feel better if we told you that we were having a make out party? Because that is all teenagers do right?-"

To stop the rant coming from her mate's mouth, and following his stated example, Blue pressed her lips to his. Almost immediately he responded to her, and as usual forgot that they were not alone. Pulling the midnight wolf flush against his body he swiped his tongue across her lips and into her mouth.

Looking around at the remaining wolves and human, expectantly, they noticed that the two stoic wolves glared at the happy couple, Cheza looked almost inquisitively at sand and midnight, and a blush of deep red spread across Toboe's cheeks while he was fiddling with the collar of Tsume's leather vest.

"This one will kiss Kiba," said the albino maiden turning to face her boyfriend. It was not that she didn't understand what she stated, for Fang had explained such things to her after the first time she had seen the other couple make out. She had believed that this sort of thing was private and since they were never alone she didn't expect anything. But now that she saw Hige and Blue she knew it was fine, and she wanted to experience the intimate moment.

Blue eyes widened at his girlfriend comment as he looked into her red orbs, brushing a hand through her pink hair the white wolf slightly shook his head no. The young maiden just lifted her head and pressed her lips to his. Copying what she had seen Hige do; she shyly flicked her tongue against Kiba's lip. Realizing that Cheza would not stop until they had copied the other couple, the white wolf took the lead. Softly and gently he coaxed the maiden into a loving kiss. Although unlike the other two they pulled away from each other after a long moment.

Eyes were now focused on the supposed gay couple, Tsume growled low in his throat and shook his head, "Toboe is shy, and you expect me to kiss him in front of anyone? Besides we are both guys you'll probably get offended and yell at us."

One of the blond twins took a step forward, "Come on it is just one little kiss, besides you two are cute it would be totally hot." His brother swiftly elbowed him in the ribs before glaring at him.

"Tsume, if we kiss will they leave us alone?" murmured the brunette. The blond that had previously expressed his interest nodded his head receiving a glare from his boss.

Toboe blushed deeper looking up at the elder wolf through his eyelashes. It captivated the older wolf making him ask all the same questions he had been trying to answer. His lips suddenly met the youth's own soft lips, without the stormy wolf realizing his head had moved to meet the pups. A human kiss something that neither wolf had experienced before that moment. Deciding to test this new experience Tsume nibbled lightly on the younger's bottom lip before flicking his tongue across the closed teeth of the reddish-brown wolf. Toboe opened his mouth slightly his own shy tongue meeting the elder's tongue, before they closed the hair of space between them. Claw's tongue swirled around Howling's mouth before meeting and twisting with the other's tongue.

The questioning kiss between the two males was even enough to catch the attention of the ever sexually charged Hige and the object of his lust. Eight pairs of eyes watched the two wolves in their first kiss. Pulling away slowly their tongues flicked across each other one last time until they noticed the eyes watching them. Toboe automatically blushed and buried his head into Tsume's chest.

"O-ke you were right bro, that was hot," commented the twin that had earlier elbowed his brother.

The boss of the humans crossed his arms and huffed, "We have wasted too much time on these kids already. We need to head back to the woods and find those wolves."

There were very few complaints as the four humans headed back to their four-wheelers. The pack stayed behind the rocks silent until the rumble of human machines were a distant hum.

"We are going to have to travel through the dessert since they won't look for us here. We'll sleep here for the remainder of the evening and at dawn we'll continue our journey. This means we can't hunt until we are on the other side so we will have to bath nightly in the moonlight. How is Cheza's food supply?" stated the white wolf before he laid down in the sand.

Picking up the bag and searching through it Tsume stated, "A box off granola bars and a couple of liters of water." The grey wolf than moved to all fours and curled up between the open desert and Toboe.

"Good," replied the alpha male. Everyone settled in the cool sand to sleep for the remainder of the night.

Author's Note: Based off the information I gathered from absoluteanime .com their ages go as such: Tsume is 3.5 (looks 24), Blue is 3 (looks 21), Hige is 2.75 (looks 18), Kiba is 2.5 (looks 17), Toboe is 2 (looks 14), and Cheza is 13 (but Kiba was afraid they would think him a pedophile as well; so he lied, again).

All reviews are welcome. I hope that I do not have a long wait on the next chapter.

Na


	5. Go

Disclaimer: I don't own Wolf's Rain or any of its characters.

Warning: shounen-ai.

Author's Note: There is a lot of explaining of the social norms of a normal wolf pack. And to the wolf hierarchy in larger packs they have alpha and beta (and a separate system for females) etc. although they don't label anyone else besides the alpha and beta.

This chapter deals a lot with Toboe's growing strength. Happy reading!

Na

Rakuen Where are You?

Chaputa-go

The sun was just reaching the beginning of its climb into the sweltering heat of the day when Blue spoke; prior to this moment everyone had been walking in a comfortable silence as warming sand sunk beneath their paws and Cheza's feet, "Toboe you did the best acting out of all of us yesterday, where did you learn to do all that, you were so adorably coy."

"Arigatou Blue, I actually learned it in school, I was in the beginning of the year play. My character was much the same as I needed to act last night. The director told me to imagine the principle in his underwear, and I blushed every time," the brown wolf laughed.

Reddish-amber eyes glanced at the youngest wolf, "Maybe I should have gone to school, like my neighbor in that city suggested."

"Don't think too much on it Hige, even with all our mess ups we all did great fooling the hunters. Oh and sorry Tsume, Toboe about that boyfriend thing," added the onyx wolf.

Hige chuckled, "You shouldn't apologize if it wasn't for those two than the boss guy would have never gotten nervous enough to leave."

"I believe he was more nervous about the new knowledge that his subordinates were gay, not to mention the twins thought that what the woman assumed was a child and a pedophile kissing was hot," added in Kiba quietly.

"You got to admit Kiba, that kiss was hot," replied Hige when he received a few sound glares he continued, "What? Come on I even let go of Blue so we could watch, and it wasn't a disappointment."

Gold eyes glared at the light-brown wolf, "Shut up Chubby. We escaped the only way we could, and we did well, especially Toboe. Now this conversation is over."

Silence once more descended upon the group. There way the occasional comment or light conversation between reddish-amber eyes and ice blue orbs. The girl that smelled of hana no tsuki pointed out various things like a bird flying overhead or a snake slithering in the hot sand.

When the sun reached its zenith Kiba pushed Cheza to walk alongside Toboe so she could retrieve some water and a granola bar without the group having to stop. The ever happy red eyes of the old hana no tsuki maiden questioned the youngest wolf on his health and thanked him sincerely for carrying her backpack.

Toboe nodded his head in ascent, for at the moment he was feeling the tingling of dehydration settling into his body. The discomfort of the half full stomach that he was never used to, since _before_ he was starving with the rest of the pack, and until recently he was eating twice a day.

Even though his body was not enjoying the affects of the desert trek, he was not lagging behind; he kept his pace with Tsume, even with the backpack strapped to his back. The dusty wolf was once more very proud of himself and he wanted to tell the others, but he didn't want to hear the snide remarks from the sand colored wolf, and so his mouth stayed shut.

As the last rays of the sun slipped behind a nearby dune painting the yellow sand a fiery red, the wolves all lay in the cooling sand waiting for the illustrious beauty of their kami to make her slow trek across the dark sky. And even if it was the first night they did not curl together to preserve heat, they all knew that this desert was not as hot as the last one they traveled through. This desert was surrounded by lush green trees that helped to cool the area down. But no matter where one was, in the heat of the day in any open area was a hazard to one's health.

The next morning once the moon had left the sky to her brother the sun, the wolves and their alpha female rose to continue the desert trek. That morning Tsume almost offered to take the pack from Howling, but than decided against it, but instead he did not add any weight to the pack. In fact since Cheza ate and drank some of the pack's contents it was becoming lighter.

Traveling in silence for a good portion of the day Toboe seemed fine until the sun became almost unbearable on his dark fur. He had a fleeting thought that he was glad that he didn't have Blue's black coat. The higher the sun rose the more that the brown wolf would fall behind the stormy wolf, once he realized this he would take a few long steps to be even with Tsume once more.

After one particular time when the young wolf could not find the strength to speed up and catch up with his mentor, the sandy wolf trotted up next to him, "Hey Runt, you should give up that backpack before you drag us all behind."

The tone of Hige's voice was that of teasing, and so the youngest and smallest of the pack halted his footfalls growling. When the reddish-amber eyes of the joking wolf laughed Toboe snapped his maul dangerously close to Hige's neck.

The tan wolf jumped back a few paces before preparing to counter the first advances of a fight, between the earthy hues. Before either could attack let alone take another step, grey obscured their vision of each other.

"Toboe is mine," Claw snarled glaring into reddish-amber orbs, "you have no right to tease him Chubby and if you do it one more time I will not stop the ensuing fight, and I know he'll come out the victor."

Noticing the glare from their pack leader the tan wolf stepped down from the fight and watched as the white wolf and the maiden turned to leave, followed by the low growling scarred wolf. Curling back his lips in a final snarl Toboe turned with new vigor to walk beside Tsume.

It wasn't long until the adrenaline rushing through the amber eyed wolf's blood dissipated. His mentor could see that in a few steps the younger of the two would be a step behind. He had had no doubt that at this point Toboe would have seriously hurt Hige if they had fought, although a good portion would be credited to Hige underestimating the runt.

But right now he wanted to help Toboe keep pace with the backpack, and the only thing he could think of would be to distract the young wolf from his fatigue, "Toboe what was that lady that cared for you like?" And so Tsume made in his eyes one of the most horrendous self-sacrifices, making idol chit-chat.

Honey orbs peered into the questioning gold before slowly answering, "Well _before_ Granny was a kind and kept me as a pet, she fed me well and gave those bangles. I loved her as a mother, I really never even thought about the fact that I was a wolf, because I was happy.

"And then now or before the fire at least I was her pseudo-son or –grandson perhaps. She would spend the time I was at school watching cooking shows and cleaning the house, there was always a fresh baked good made and waiting for my return. When I got home, she would help me with my school work. And on weekends we would go to the park or the museum, something different every weekend."

"She sounds… nice," commented the grey wolf.

"She was but I killed her twice," whimpered Howling.

"Now I doubt that Toboe."

The young wolf shook his head, "I got really excited one day and brought my front paws to her shoulders she lost her balance and when she fell she died. And then the second time she had left the stove on after baking the cookies I requested and the apartment burned down."

"They were accidents, besides if neither of those events had occurred we would have never met, or met again," replied Tsume.

Toboe smiled and than after a moment asked, "How about your human gangs you led?"

The day continued as such for the red dusty wolf and the elder storm colored wolf the easy conversation that filled the air between them. All thoughts of hunger and fatigue were forgotten although the group as a whole seemed to slow a bit. Not long after the sun began its decent in the heavens were the wolves surrounded by cooler air and the sweet smell of decaying logs and leaves; they had made it to the other side of the desert.

A bit before dusk the group found a spring fed pond and decided to rest there for awhile before continuing on, everyone automatically retrieving drinks from the cool pool. Thoughts of the up coming hunt were on everyone's mind when Toboe spoke up, "Can I hunt alone tonight for the pack Tsume?" there was a pregnant pause where Tsume looked at Kiba for his thoughts, Toboe continued, "if I am not back by the time the sun sets than I forfeit."

Fang nodded his ascent, followed by Tsume, Hige growled, and Cheza smiled, "This one wishes Toboe much luck."

The reddish-brown wolf stood from his spot by the pond and than slunk into the forest heading up stream. Moving silently and quickly Toboe found many of the smaller game, rabbits and pheasants. Once he was even able to get within claws reach of a grey-brown rabbit, but deciding that he was not in the mood for the fluffy creature, so he continued on.

In the flowing water he could see the fish that were flowing with the current towards the young ookami's pack. Not knowing exactly the best method for fish catching nor the number of fish it would take to feed a pack of six, he thought to look for other prey. Howling also came across the signs of other animals, like deer and bear but no signs of the actual animal.

Deciding that perhaps fish was his best option, Toboe watched the river as he came across a narrow part in the river that was also very shallow. Deciding that this would be a good fish catching area the brown wolf began to edge closer to the water. Concentrating on the current and the few fish that floated by, a sudden splash startled the young brown wolf.

On the other side of the stream was a small brown bear, larger than Toboe but most likely no older than the young wolf. He was surprised to say the least and sniffed the air casually. The scent of the bear was being masked by the rushing water, and the same was working for the bear.

Reassessing the situation, Toboe decided to try bear meat. Leaping across the river, Toboe sunk his teeth at the back of the brown bear's neck, twisting his body so that he was facing the same direction.

Teeth tore through hide and muscle, blood rushed into the wolf's maul. The bear roared, jeering on his hind legs before plummeting forward successfully dislodging the wolf and hurling him in the near by stream.

The young wolf yelped when the air was forced from his lungs on the impact of the rock with his left side. The bear roared again going back on its hind legs watching the soaking wet wolf stand slowly in the shallow water.

The reddish-brown wolf moved forward a bit and the bear pawed the air, falling forward on three legs the bear used its fourth paw to swipe at Toboe. Crouching low the young wolf looked for an opening in the bear's defense. He saw that the raised paw was helpless to defend the side it belonged to.

Backing up a few paces; Toboe than surged forward towards the dangerous side of the bear. A second before the bear's claw made contact he switched his trajectory and moved towards the opposite shoulder. The claw grazed the brown tail the same time the bloodied maul latched onto the right jugular.

Using his momentum Howling was able to propel himself into the side of the bear, bringing his hind legs over the bear's back. With a few good grating shakes of his head and the clenching of his jaw the bear fell towards the wolf onto his side.

Letting ago of the neck to assess the nearly dead prey before him, Toboe watched the bear pull weakly to his feet. Seeing the now exposed left jugular, the dusty wolf moved forward to sink his teeth in once more, but the bear fell away from the teeth and tumbled into the flowing water. Muzzle completely covered by the cold water the bear slowly died watching the snarling wolf guard the death of his kill.

Walking into the river Toboe grabbed the front paw of the bear and began to tug at it in attempts to remove it from the river and return to his pack. When the bear did not budge Toboe looked around at the pink and orange sky, he still had plenty of time. Bending his head once more he tugged on the bear only to move in to the river bank.

With a frustrated growl, Howling sat on his haunches and let out a howl, the message clearly said, "Help!" For a moment the young wolf felt miss leading, but he did need help bring the bear back.

Tsume's head shot up when he heard the distant howl; "Toboe!" the grey wolf was swiftly to his feet and out of the clearing. Kiba and Blue stopped their fire preparations and the remaining three wolves and the maiden dashed into the forest.

"Toboe! Are you all right?" asked Claw once he saw the younger wolf.

Watching the others skid to a stop behind the grey wolf, the brown head lowered, "Gomennasai onegai I didn't mean to worry you I just need help dragging the bear out of the river and back to you guys."

"You killed a bear?" asked Blue, looking at the brown form in the river.

"Actually I think he drowned," replied Toboe, "although I did inflict the wounds that made the bear fall into the river."

Fang smiled, "It was your kill; you just used your resources wisely." With those words the white wolf, tan wolf, and black wolf walked into the river to pull out their meal.

Claw walked up to his young charge and looked him over, "You're wounded."

"Yes when I was thrown against a rock, and when the bear claw caught my tail. Although the second wound barely hurts. I cleaned them off myself while I was waiting for you," said the honey-amber eyes, gold nodded in return.

The bear now lay on dry land the white wolf looked at the youngest, "It is your kill, so where will the meat go?"

"Cheza, remove her portion first, and than you guys can eat before me," replied Toboe lying on the ground.

"A humble wolf, now that is an oddity," commented Hige. The meat was soon divvied up between the wolves, the red-eyed girl's portion was set aside since her pack and the matches were left by the pool. Once everyone had eaten their fill, they packed to continue their journey. It was decided that they would travel like humans just in case the hunters had heard Toboe's howl.

Under the moon's gentle guidance the ragtag group continued on their search for Rakuen. In the silence of the night Toboe could allow his thoughts to wander, as well as his nose. Smelling a new scent, the brown wolf turned towards the source. Looking back at the light brown haired wolf his blue human eyes calm and an arm wrapped around his midnight mate.

Honey eyes turned back towards his mentor about to speak the younger wolf decided against asking the stormy wolf for surely he was not really smelling whatever it was that he smelled at the moment. Turning back to the objects of his questions the amber eyes scanned the form of the tall dark haired female, searching for an infection or anything that would be the cause for the new scent.

Tsume had noticed the wondering eye of his young charge, and when his golden orbs followed the line of sight of the amber eyes he found they were watching and taking in all of Blue. He frowned for a moment but decided to address the issue, dropping his voice so only the wolf beside him would hear he said, "Have you found the female body attractive, Toboe?"

Wide golden-brown eyes turned to the older wolf a blush staining his cheeks, "I… I… ano…" he decided first he would remove the elders thoughts that he found Blue attractive before he informed him of the scent, "I… iie I do not find Blue attractive. Females seem too soft and fragile; I prefer a sense of stability from a future mate. I was actually looking at Blue for any wounds since there is this odd new scent coming from her, and I don't know what it is."

Gold eyes stared into the eyes of the younger wolf before his footfalls halted, he then sniffed the air and whirled on the blue-eyed female and her mate, "You're pregnant!"

Everyone soon stopped walking Kiba rushed to stand next to Tsume also sniffing the air before growling, "We had agreed that a litter would be a bad thing to have on this journey and what do you do Hige you get Blue pregnant"!

"So that scent is their pups?" asked Toboe.

"Yes, Toboe within the first week the scent change is so subtle that no one notices after the first week though the pup or pups have a pronounced scent similar but unique to their parents," answered the scared wolf.

"Shit so it is true," murmured Hige.

Four sets of eyes turned on the tan wolf surprised, "What do you mean Chubby?"!

Reddish-amber eyes looked down at the ground, "I… I'm just not ready for this, o-ke? I can't do this I know nothing of taking care of others. I can't father pups!" The tan wolf was pacing back and forth in a short line, wringing the sleeves of his sweatshirt.

The pale human form of the white wolf surged forward slamming the other light brown haired figure against a nearby tree. Before Hige could react Fang pressed his lips against the elder wolf's lips. Hige in shock just stood their slack jawed as his leader nibbled on his lower lip before swiping his tongue through the shocked mouth. After a moment Kiba tried to coax the earthy wolf to join his dance. And when he got no response he pulled away.

Blue eyes of Fang looked at the sandy wolf, "Remember Hige, we stopped seeking each other out for this. So you could be with Blue and sire pups. You were ready that day when I tried to kiss you and you said kissing a guy was disgusting, but you didn't mind the other things, and than afterwards you said you were going to mate Blue the second you came face to face with her again."

"Tsume I don't understand what is going on," stated Toboe in a quiet voice looking up at the grey wolf with large innocent eyes.

"Kiba just told Chubby to grow a fucking backbone," replied the leather clad figure crossing his arms and smirking.

Toboe fidgeted for a moment, his blush turning a darker shade of crimson before stuttering, "Ano… but aren't Hige and Blue mated?"

"Sometimes a rutting partner is sought," explained the eldest, "See females only want to have sex when they are in heat which happens somewhere between January to April. During these months a male enters his rutting period since he wants to be ready for his mate. In larger packs only the alpha male and female can mate since the pack can only support one litter each year. And this is where a rutting partner comes in, for those who aren't allowed to mate that season. Kiba and Hige had such a relationship, and obviously it continued in this world although it seems Hige did not enjoy all the human male intimacies. Kiba exploited this fact to force Chubby to except the fact that his mate is pregnant."

"But we are a small pack," commented an irate Blue.

Tsume growled, "I have already said we are a rag-tag pack nothing about this is normal! So we met under normal circumstances we were even looking for our own territory, albeit Rakuen, but still. Just look around our alpha female is a human, and the gammas were allowed to mate! I bet I even know the next question, 'why have I stayed out of this whole thing' simple I am only interested in a life mate and not physical pleasure, although part of me thinks I will never find him."

There was a pregnant pause where Kiba returned to Cheza's side. He was feeling guilty. Tsume's whole speech which was mostly for Toboe's benefit, made Kiba see the slighted truth behind his pack. But than again why would he have impeded the mating of Hige and Blue; when he wasn't even sure that he could procure a litter through Cheza. But that didn't mean that he would not make the pink haired girl his life mate after their journey.

Turning to the midnight female, arms crossed her chest and a glare directed at her life mate, "Blue perhaps you should refrain from looking human until you've had the litter, who knows what effect the body change will have."

Immediately blue eyes went wide with worry and the group was instantly looking at the black form of the half-wolf, half-dog. This halted any comments or arguments that were to ensue. The pack now had a pregnant female; the need to find a territory, so she could have her pups in peace, was heightened."

Author's Note: All reviews are welcome.

Na


	6. Roku

Disclaimer: I don't own Wolf's Rain or any of its characters.

Warning: shounen-ai.

Author's Note: The last chapter. There are footnotes for this chapter. I hope you enjoyed this fic. Happy reading!

Na

Rakuen Where are You?

Chaputa-roku

The moon had shown brightly a pronounced full face against the speckled sky. The pale light flitted across the leaves of the higher branch every so often the wind would shift the trees and the light would fall upon the majestic figure of a wolf.

Two ghostly white figures led the group through the trees. To the left walked the strong bodied white wolf with yellow eyes, to his right stood his intended mate a young albino maiden, her pink hair shining in the moon light. It would seem that they were born for the moon herself.

A few paces behind the first couple walked the contrast to the moons white light. The ebony female was obviously pregnant her belly slightly rounded at the three week mark, her ice blue eyes shown with over whelming joy. Beside the female stood her earthy mate a chubby sandy-tan wolf his reddish eyes scanning the forest for any hidden dangers to his mate and pups. These two had surely been graced with the moons fortunes for about one and a fourth of her cycle; the onyx female would birth her pups.

Bring up the rear of the small pack, helping to shield the pregnant female from the sight of predators behind them, walked two males. The one to the left was the color of the clouds that could hide the moon's beauty. A color that showed the strength of the world the grey clouds that rained on the earth for flowers and other life to flourish. He was east and west, the wind and rain. And beside him stood the earth and fire, the color of the dusty earth and the red flame. They had within them the strength of the moon and were her servants. 1

All six were on a journey together, and yet separately from the others. Their journey began with the illustrious beauty that sat high in the heavens, a journey that also would end with her. Although they would never go to their kami, they hoped to end in her place, a world for ookami and hana no tsuki- Rakuen.

They had tried to reach this Rakuen no Ookami once before but their blood, and that of some special humans and of course the flower maiden stained the dying earth without ever reaching their goal. And for whatever reason they were brought to this thriving world with hana no tsuki across its fields.

This world was no Rakuen no Ookami, for there was still pain, suffering, and heartache. Here the humans still rule the lands encaging and killing that of the Tsuki no Kami loyal race, the wolves.

But if not for here, where was Rakuen? Was this particular pack even heading in the correct direction? Would the moon guide her children, to her place?

Tonight of the full moon, they would receive an answer. Perhaps not the Rakuen they all had envisioned, but a place that in this world that would bring them to a Rakuen, all the same. For one man's dump is another man's paradise. On the plains of the heart who is to say what is blissful or not.

Gold eyes peered at the young wolf to his right. Something seemed to be troubling Howling for the past fortnight, 2 and Tsume could not coax his charge to speak of this matter. Although the wolf could still keep pace even with a backpack full of rocks strapped to his back, and he was still a great asset to the hunt. But he was more with drawn, and seemed to be avoiding eye contact with the grey wolf.

"Toboe what is on your mind?" asked Claw slowing his footfalls a hair as to give them a bit more privacy.

Not to far away the sound of music and merriment filled the night air; the wolves were planning to go around the celebrating village. But now the young wolf concentrated on the noise instead of the increasing speed of his heart, and if he were in another form he would be blushing. A week ago he had what he needed to say- to ask- nearly configured in his own mind, and he had spent the last week trying to gain the courage or the words to say everything out loud to Tsume.

And here was said wolf asking him. With a deep breath Toboe spoke, "I have been thinking about the words you said that night we discovered Blue's pregnancy, about why you never wanted to rut with anyone. I was wondering how exactly you had decided that you did not want a female mate? And, what do you see as the differences between the genders?"

The far off music seemed to be getting closer or more accurately the wolves were walking closer to the village now. But either way the music filled the quiet woods and the pregnant pause before the stormy wolf spoke.

"All my life… lives I was alone. And then there were my gangs compiled of men and eventually a few women. I had never thought that I was attracted to either or why females never really 'called' to me when the season came around. It really wasn't until I saw Hige and Blue together that I realized that the thought of mating a female basically repulsed me. But besides that I don't know how it happened I think it was the way I was born. And don't even ask I would sooner die than rut with Chubby or that arrogant prick of a leader."

"And the differences in the genders?" asked the brown wolf. Dark clouds covered the pale light of the moon casting the forest floor and its traveler's completely in shadow.

Tsume nodded his head and thought a moment, "Remember when you said that females seem too soft and fragile and that you prefer a sense of stability from a future mate? To me that is true; males are firm and stable but can be soft and kind in their own way."

"Thought so," mumbled Toboe with a deep breath he spoke louder, "I believe that I am the same as you."

A fat water droplet splashed onto Howling's muzzle, pulling back surprised the wolf shook his head. There was a large crash of thunder the forest was illuminated for but a moment before the rain started to fall in fast heavy drops.

"We should stay here, the rain has already beaten down any scents, we won't be able to smell incoming danger," called a worried tan wolf.

Fang nodded his head, "Toboe come here, you have Cheza's rain jacket." The brown wolf nodded and left the grey wolf to bring the jacket to his alpha female.

Tsume raised his head a bit at the feeling of something brushing by the hair of his shoulder. He was about to brush it off as an insect, when he heard a dull thunk against the tree a few paces behind him. Turning to see what it was, Golden eyes widened at the sight of a tranquilizer dart stuck in the trunk of the tree.

"Tsume!" upon hearing Howling's scream the scarred wolf turned away from the tree to see a flash of brown leap in front of him.

"Toboe!" he rushed over to the fallen wolf a tranquilizer sticking out of his side, "why did you do that?"

"I didn't want you to get hurt," honey eyes glanced at his side and saw the dart, he laughed, "and all it was, was a tranquilizer."

Claw dragged the young wolf behind a fallen log, "change into a human; if they catch you asleep better to be a human, than a wolf. I'll carry you."

The brown head nodded changing his form once he had hands he gingerly pulled the dart out. The fall had really done a number on his side, which was bleeding from a long scrape. Rising on shaking limbs Toboe moved onto Tsume's wet back his arms locking tightly around the elder's neck. Cheza's pack lay forgotten on the ground.

The other members were behind other trees providing cover from the hunters. A pale form with an equally pale girl clinging to his back roared, "Run toward the music!"

With those words the faint music against the rain seemed to rise and drown out the falling water. The pale form shot off first, followed by a black form, a grey wolf with a reddish package on his back, and finally the tan form. Moving in sporadic patterns in the general direction of the music, the wolves cursed to here the sound of some machine starting behind them.

Soon light was discernable through the brush the voices of many swirled with the increasing music. Evan through the heavy rain the streets of the village were filled. The trees began to thin and then abruptly four wolves were skidding on wet cobblestone. The passed out figure of the bleeding boy rolled off of his mentor, catching the attention of a few of the villagers. The pink haired girl also fell in a not so graceful heap next to the white wolf.

Two 4-wheelers halted on the edge of the cobblestone and forest four hunters watched the wolves, the female and one of the blonde twins held tranquilizer guns at the ready.

"What are you doing aiming guns at my children?" screamed an irate blond woman running towards the group of wolves and men her purple jacket flowing behind her.

"Your children?" questioned the large dark haired man dismounting his 4-wheeler.

The woman ran to the red eyed girl that was struggling to sit up, "Cheza, are you all right?" looking around at the wolves that hadn't turned their heads from the guns and the prone figure of a brunette wolf, "Cheza what happened to Toboe?"

"This one saw Toboe get shot," replied the girl smiling at her once guardian.

"You shot my boy?" The blond screamed stomping up to the dark haired boss, "You better hope he is all right or I will personally kill you"!

"Now Cher, who are you killing?" asked a dirty blond haired, he spotted the unconscious brunette, "Kami-sama what happened to Toboe?"

Cher glanced back at the man, "Hubb, they shot him!"

Green eyes scanned the brown wolf, "It seems to only be a tranquilizer that Toboe was shot with, he will be fine in a few hours."

"We were after these wolves, it is not our fault that your children were in the forest with wolves," said one of the twins.

The other twin quickly added, "Aa, what kind of parents let their fourteen-year-olds in the forest with wolves?"

"Do you even know that she is dating a seventeen-year-old, and his _boyfriend _is sixteen?" asked the female hunter crossing her arms across her chest not caring about the gun in her hands.

Blue eyes met green, before looking around at the wolves; the protective stances that the cloud colored wolves took in front of the humanoid figures. Blue eyes turned back towards the hunters, "Cheza is thirteen."

"And isn't Tsume closer to twenty-four?" added in Hubb.

The female hunter growled, "I knew he was a fucking pedophile"!

The blond woman, who was once the keeper of the flower maiden, surged forwards once more, "Your laws can not touch us here! But I highly doubt even one of your own judges would condone shooting two children out walking their dogs, even if it was only tranquilizer darts. So I suggest you leave now!"

There was a fire burning in those blue eyes. The wet blond tendrils slipping in front of the eyes did not destroy the flare. The remaining armed hunter lowered his weapon and the group of four got back on their 4-wheelers and slowly reentered the woods, at their boss' nod.

In a matter of seconds, Fang and Claw were looking very much human and knelt by the youngest of the group. Hubb walked over to his wife putting an arm around her waist, "Come we can go to our home and dry off."

Picking up the hurt human looking teens, the alpha and beta began to follow their old human allies, the mates followed close behind. They moved through the crowds of people to a small house on the end of the row. Even in the rain the whole village humans and wolves danced under the clouded moon a tribute to their kami.

----------

Tsume shot bolt up right on the boulder that he was previously sleeping on. His grey head fell back as he groaned, he always hated having those dreams where he seemed disembodied watching himself and the pack in the memories of the past.

It had been three moon cycles since they had first come to this village in the forest. The village that worshipped the Tsuki no Kami, who held a festival every full moon, a village comprised of a harmony of wolves and humans.

Cher and Hubb had taken the group in and showed them the copy of, 'The Book of the Moon Volume two'. In the second volume it explained that the mixture of human, wolf, and flower maiden _blood_ for a common goal of the moon created this new reality, or sent them to an alternate reality; the book was not clear on the matter. Although most people in this world did not know of the old dying world. And those who did know of _before- _came to this village.

The villagers had heard Toboe's howl when he had killed the bear, and new that eventually they would have new residences; so they began to build a small three-bedroom hut. Which upon arrival to the village Hige and Blue were moved into so their pups could be born in peace.

In fact their six pups were seven weeks old now. It would be the last full moon fest that Blue would have to miss. In a weeks time the midnight wolf and her six pups would be stepping foot outside their home for the first time since the pups were birthed. And three weeks after that mother and pups would experience their first full moon in the village, and making Quent a very proud grandfather. 3

The remaining four members of the pack stayed with the holders of both volumes of 'The Book of the Moon', until the villagers had helped to build a couple more houses. During their stay with the blonds Kiba and Cheza were delighted to hear that there was a slim chance- although a chance- that they could sire pups themselves.

The night their three-bedroom home was finished next to Hige and Blue they had supposedly mated. Although Cher explained that Cheza now as a human could not have children until she had started her menstrual cycle and for the girl's size and weight it could be a few years. 4 And even when that had started they would have to wait until Cheza was in the estrus 5 part of the cycle.

Needless to say both couples were very happy with their lives in the village. Thoughts of Rakuen were next to none now. Tsume couldn't help but be very unlike himself and let his mind linger on Rakuen. "Rakuen where are you?" whispered the grey wolf into the night, the music from the festival at his back as he looked across the small lake next to the village.

So preoccupied was the elder wolf that he did not hear the footfalls or notice the familiar scent until lithe warm arms wrapped around his neck from behind, "Rakuen is in your heart Tsume."

Changing into his 26-year-old human self he turned in the arms to look at the smiling almost sixteen-year-old figure of his mate. Honey-amber eyes smiled as the brown head nuzzled the neck of the elder wolf, "I know you are happy with me, and will love me for the rest of our lives, as will I. And I know that, you know that, we found Rakuen, our own personal Rakuen in our hearts."

The younger leaned forward to give the other a chaste kiss; gold eyes smiled, "You're right Toboe; I guess I can't deny that this is paradise."

Author's Note:

1 The Elements are Servants of the Moon: The moon controls the tides and the gravitational balance of the earth. If the moon were no longer there, there would be no water and the earths core would cease to move, bottom line there would be no life or earth.

2 Fortnight: is a term for two weeks

3Wolf Pregnancy: there is a gestation period (where the fetus is developed with in the womb) of 60 to 63 days and then they are born blind and deaf. They stay with their mother in the den for eight weeks. There are one to fourteen pups per litter.

4Menstrual Cycle: should only occur when a girls body is physically fit enough to carry a child which is when they reach the weight of over 45.5 kg or 100 lbs, if they never reach this weight than the cycle will start somewhere in their 16th year. (I know this from personal experience not to mentions my friend's mother is still only 43 kg (95 lbs).).

5Estrus: in the Anthropology world in the least it is the period of time where primates are 'in heat'. And humans (Homo sapien sapien) are in the order Primates.

Japanese 

Rakuen no Ookami: Wolves' Paradise

Tsuki no Kami: Moon God (although the moon is female)

Aa: Yeah

All reviews are welcome.

Na


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